But they didn't mark him short. And instead of possibly surging toward the CFP in Year 2, Harbaugh watched a truckload of NFL talent leave U-M without a ring, and then saw his name and record plastered next to Brady Hoke's on national sports shows 12 months later.

It has been Michigan's mindset all year because it had to be. The "revenge tour" was a mantra built out of necessity. U-M has been in now-or-never territory since it got back from the Outback Bowl in January. And, really, since that spot was upheld in Columbus two years ago.

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Free Press sports writer Nick Baumgardner compares the rosters of Michigan and Ohio State to see which team has the edge in the 2018 edition of The Game in Columbus, Ohio. The victor wins the Big Ten East division, and heads to the Big Ten title game to face Northwestern. Let's get to it ... Julian H. Gonzalez, Detroit Free Press

QUARTERBACK. Michigan: Shea Patterson. Ohio State: Dwayne Haskins. ANALYSIS: These are the two best quarterbacks in the Big Ten — both should get all-conference votes. Haskins’ volume is much higher than Patterson’s, thus his numbers are greater. But Patterson has been more of a running threat. In overall efficiency, these are the two best signal callers in the league. EDGE: Even. Julio Cortez, AP

RUNNING BACK. Michigan: Karan Higdon, Chris Evans. Ohio State: J.K. Dobbins, Mike Weber. ANALYSIS: Michigan has been much more reliant on Higdon this season, as he has eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark. Evans was limited with a hamstring earlier this season, but is back at full strength. There’s also fullback Ben Mason, a powerful weapon. Dobbins and Weber have combined to rush for more than 1,400 yards this year. Dobbins will be one of the most explosive players on the field. He ran for 203 yards on 37 carries against Maryland. EDGE: Even. Barbara J. Perenic, TNS

TIGHT END. Michigan: Zach Gentry, Sean Mckeon, Nick Eubanks. Ohio State: Luke Farrell, Rashod Berry. ANALYSIS: Ohio State does not use its tight ends as much as Michigan does. They’ll use Farrell and Berry as H-backs and blockers, but they don’t catch many passes. Michigan, on the other hand, uses tight ends for everything. All the time. EDGE: Michigan. Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press

OFFENSIVE LINE. Michigan: Jon Runyan Jr., Ben Bredeson, Cesar Ruiz, Michael Onwenu, Juwann Bushell-Beatty. Ohio State: Thayer Munford, Malcolm Pridgeon, Michael Jordan, Demetrius Knox, Isaiah Prince. ANALYSIS: Both lines have, for the most part, protected the quarterback well this season. Michigan’s offensive line has produced more on the ground more consistently and has been more diverse with its attack overall. Ohio State’s has been rather one-dimensional in large part because of its somewhat average run game. EDGE: Michigan. Julio Cortez, AP

DEFENSIVE LINE. Michigan: Rashan Gary, Carlo Kemp, Bryan Mone, Chase Winovich. Ohio State: Chase Young, Robert Landers, Dre’Mont Jones, Johnathon Cooper. ANALYSIS: Michigan’s defensive line is one of the deepest units in the country, as the Wolverines will play eight or nine every game. The Buckeyes lost perhaps the best defensive player in the nation in Nick Bosa earlier this season, and while still outstanding, it’s not quite as deep as U-M’s. EDGE: Michigan. Kyle Robertson, TNS

LINEBACKER: Michigan: Devin Bush Jr., Khaleke Hudson, Devin Gil. Ohio State: Malik Harrison, Tuf Borland, Pete Werner. ANALYSIS: Bush might be the best inside linebacker in the country with regard to his full package. He can blitz, cover and defend the run. He’s the best player on the nation's top-ranked defense. Harrison and Werner have been active in opposing backfields this season, though Ohio State has had a few adventures in defending the run this year. EDGE: Michigan. Rick Osentoski USA TODAY Sports

SPECIAL TEAMS: Michigan: PK Quinn Nordin/Jake Moody, P Will Hart, KR Ambry Thomas, PR Peoples-Jones. Ohio State: PK Blake Haubeil, P Drue Chrisman, KR Dixon, PR Hill. Michigan played Jake Moody, a true freshman, vs. Indiana in place of Nordin, and the youngster made all six FG attempts. Ohio State made a midseason switch to Haubeil, who hasn’t had much volume. Both punters are very good and both return units have good athletes. EDGE: Even. Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press

COACHING: Michigan: Jim Harbaugh. Ohio State: Urban Meyer. Harbaugh may wind up as the Big Ten coach of the year in 2018 and, frankly, he has the better staff top to bottom at the moment. Meyer has had his number though. And rough year or not, he has feasted in big games forever. If Harbaugh wants the edge here, he must defeat Meyer. EDGE: Ohio State. Eric Seals, Detroit Free Press

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People don't compare Harbaugh to Hoke any longer. (Not that they should've in the first place.)

On Saturday, Harbaugh became U-M's first head coach since Fielding Yost to score double-digit wins in three of his first four years. In his first 50 games as the program's head coach, Lloyd Carr, a Hall of Famer, recorded 39 wins.

Harbaugh is now at 38.

The difference, of course, is why this season has played out the way it has and why Michigan's mental edge has been its chief asset during its 10-game win streak. Carr's first 50 games featured three wins over Ohio State, two Big Ten titles and a national championship.

Ohio State's J.T. Barrett rushes for a first down in double overtime against Michigan at Ohio Stadium on Nov. 26, 2016.(Photo: Jamie Sabau, Getty Images)

Harbaugh is 0-3 against the Buckeyes with an empty trophy case for hardware that truly matters. This record created everything. The narrative that Harbaugh can't win big games, that he's not built for college football, that he's overpaid, overrated and out of touch. That his team and program were soft, that they were only third- or fourth-best in their own division.

And this is why U-M went into a bunker this year and came out with a "us against everyone" attitude, complete with T-shirts and hats. They were challenged mentally.

Even with a choppy performance against Indiana on Saturday and a possible injury to Chase Winovich, Michigan is in as strong a spot heading into Columbus as its been in more than a decade.

U-M had a lot going for it back in 2016, too, even with its quarterback (Wilton Speight) playing hurt. That team had NFL talent everywhere. But when things got heavy in the fourth quarter, the team tightened up. Everything fell apart and, in reality, Michigan had blown that game long before Barrett's fourth-down run in the second overtime.

Michigan's Berkley Edwards is taken off the field on a stretcher after being injured in the fourth quarter against Indiana, Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press

"(We're proving to ourselves) that we can definitely be the best team in the country, that we're definitely a top-four team and that we're a playoff contender who deserves to play in the playoffs," Higdon added. "But that only happens if we continue to dominate each and every week."

Michigan doesn't have to dominate this week. It just has to survive.

Survive and shut people up. Survive and forget that spot. Survive and change the script. Survive and advance the revenge tour.